Bow sight precision angle adjustment mounting bracket

ABSTRACT

A precision adjustable pivot mounting bracket is attached between an archery bow sight assembly and a riser of the bow. A small screw with closely spaced threads threaded through a plate on one side of a pivot contacting a bearing in the plate on the other side of the pivot. It makes small incremental changes in the horizontal angle between the bow sight assembly and the bow riser to align the bow sight with the actual trajectory of the arrow. A larger screw threaded through both plates locks in the changes in angle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/659,333, filed on Mar. 8, 2005.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to archery equipment and inparticular to a precision angle adjustment mounting bracket forattaching a bow sight to a bow for fine incremental adjustment of theright-left angle of attachment of a bow site to a bow to correct fordeviance of an arrow flight caused by forces created from the release ofthe bow string after normal aiming with the bow sight to enhance theability of an archer to tune his bow sight to the path of the shotarrow.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

After an arrow has been aimed precisely using a high precision sightmounted on a bow, forces may be created from the dynamics of the stringrelease, particularly the side-slip of the string off the fingers of thearcher, as well as any structural idiosyncrasies of the bow or its usewhich cause variance in the flight of the arrow from the intended flightguided by the sight. Side slip of the arrow to one side of an intendedtarget may occur and be grouping of a series of arrows in a target tothe right or left of the point aimed at by the archer. Up to now,correction of this problem has been done by archaic methods using shimswhich take a lot of time to correct the problem with any precision ormoving the arrow path or bending the bow sight. None of these attemptsto correct the problem are very accurate or desirable.

Current bow sights do not have the capability to adjust alignment to thepath of the shot arrow by pivoting horizontally at the sight mount.Virtually all of the bow sights on the market today only haveadjustments at the outer end of the sight extension. None of theseadjustments will align the bow sight to the path of the shot arrowaccurately.

The problem and subject of many discussions is how do you set the sight3rd axis (the angle around the vertical at the outer end of the sight)?At full draw or with the sight off the bow or with at the strung butun-drawn position? None of these questions are the correct question! Itreally doesn't matter!

The fact is that there is a tremendous need to set the 4th axis (thehorizontal angle around the vertical at the point of attachment of thesight to the bow) by shooting the bow. This cannot be done at full draw,brace height, or off the bow. Because of slight machining differences,handle torque, personal torque, hand position, limb twist and many otherfactors, the only way to set the 4th axis is to shoot the arrow and seewhere it impacts with the extension fully extended and also with itfully retracted to the bow. If the arrow does not impact in perfect linethe 4th axis is not set correctly. Even if the bow is torqued badly, thebow takes its own position upon the instant of release. It is underlarge amounts of torque until the string is released. It immediatelyadjusts to its own normal method of closing because the archer only hashold of the grip at that time and the torque is no longer a factor otherthat it has flipped the arrow. The string then proceeds to brace heighton an unrestricted path. This happening can cause an effect on where thearrow will hit. If the 3rd axis and 2nd axis are set properly, and the4th axis is ignored, the sight bubble is likely to be out of square andcause left or right arrow impacts when shooting in up or down hill.Think about it in this manner. Take your sight off your bow and get anarrow. Then point the arrow straight away from you and with the sightheld against the arrow in front with the back of the extension about a20 degrees away from the arrow. Try to keep the sight bar plumb. Nowpoint the arrow down hill and you will see that you will have to cantthe sight extension keep the bubble in the middle. If you have threearms or maybe a buddy to check the sight bar you will see that it is notplumb any more. This is a bad thing! This out of line condition willcost you a point here and there when shooting in the hills.

An archer must be able to make the adjustment around the fourth axis infinite amounts. This is the key to absolute vertical accuracy whenshooting an arrow up or down hill and even long yardages such as 100yards.

What is needed is a precision adjustable sight mounting bracket forattaching the sight to the bow to allow adjustment of the right/leftangle of the sight at the point where the sight connects to the bow bychanging the setting in small increments until the arrows group in thecenter of the target matching the aim of the sight so that the Sightextension is parallel to the path of the arrow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a precision adjustablesight mounting bracket for attaching the sight to the bow to allowadjustment of the horizontal (right/left) angle of the sight at thepoint where the sight connects to the bow by changing the setting insmall increments until the arrows group in the center of the targetmatching the aim of the sight so that the sight extension is parallel tothe path of the arrow.

A related object of the present invention is to provide a sight mountingbracket capable of making precision adjustments in small increments ofthe horizontal (left/right) angle of the bow sight relative to the bowat the point of connection to the bow with a screw on one face of atight vertical hinge contacting a ball bearing in an opposing face ofthe vertical hinge adjusted to pivot the vertical hinge in small finiteamounts and an adjacent screw threaded between the two opposing faces tolock the adjustment in place so that small incremental adjustments canbe made by locking an adjustment in place and testing the accuracy ofthe adjustment by shooting a subsequent group of arrows to note theamount of divergence from the intended target and repeating theprocedure until the precise flight path of the arrows is achieverelative to the intended target as sighted. An archer must be able tomake this adjustment in finite amounts. This is the key to absolutevertical accuracy when shooting an arrow up or down hill and even longyardages such as 100 yards.

The prior art fails to enable fine-tuning of the 4th axis. Prior sightmounts only mount flat to the bow riser and have no horizontaladjustability. The present invention enables an archer to adjust a sightextension to be aligned exactly parallel with the path of the arrow whenshot. This is absolutely necessary to assure shooting down the center.

In brief, the present invention enables a tremendous improvement in theability to accurately change relationship of an attached bow sight tothe path of the arrow. To define an arrow, it would be any type that ispropelled by a hand drawn archery bow. To define a bow sight, it wouldbe any device attached to an archery bow to enable the user to align ascope or pin on a target to hit it consistently. To define a bow riserit is the handle or the part of an archery bow located in the center andproviding the place to grip the bow and attach various accessories, suchas sights, quivers etc.

The inability to make proper adjustments to the shot arrow path can beovercome by the present invention. There are many tuning methods used toenhance the accuracy of an archer's equipment. (Bow and Arrow) Most ofthem include shooting the arrow. To date this has not been done whenaligning the bow sight level bubble perpendicular to the path of theshot arrow. Typically, most bows, when set up for proper arrow flightand grouping, the arrow path will not be aligned with the centerline ofthe handle riser. This creates the need for this invention. With theaddition of this invention to a bow, an archer will have the ability tofine-tune the level bubble on his bow sight to be perpendicular to thepath of the shot arrow. This invention, when mounted on a bow, enablesthe shooter to set the bow sight on level ground with the level bubblecentered. Then, in order to check the perpendicularity of that levelbubble to the arrow path the archer must shoot an arrow at a down hilltarget. If the shot does not impact perfectly vertically aligned withthe dead center of the target, it is necessary to adjust for that error.The adjustment screws on this invention will enable the archer toaccomplish this in a very precise manner. In many instances a movementof less than 0.005″ is necessary to impact dead center. Once thisfunction is done the final part of tuning a bow sight to the arrow pathis complete.

The present invention will enhance the accuracy of an archery bow byenabling fine-tuning of the 4th axis. The prior art fails to enable thisfunction. Prior sight mounts only mount flat to the bow riser and haveno horizontal adjustability. The adjustable bow sight mounting bracketof the present invention will attach to the bow riser and enable thearcher to attach their bow sight to it or it will be built into the bowsight and used for attachment of the bow sight to the bow riser. Withthe present invention in place the archer will be able to fine adjustthe entire sight extension and vertical bar parallel to the arrow pathbased on shooting the bow. This is imperative for the ultimate inaccuracy. Because of inherent and induced torque to the bow riser, thisis the only method whereby the true arrow path can be determined. Thisdegree of parallelism has not been easily or accurately attainable todate.

The present invention will be machined from aluminum and have steeladjustment screws. By tightening or loosening these screws a person willbe able to infinitely alter the relationship of the bow sight to thearrow. The present invention will enable the user to test the equipmentto assure parallelism. This is accomplished by sliding the bow sightback against the bow and shooting an arrow at a vertical line on atarget at approximately 30 yards. Then slide the bow sight fullyextended and shoot another arrow at the vertical line. If both arrows donot impact on the same vertical line, the 4th axis in incorrect. At thispoint an archer must adjust the screws in one direction or the other tocorrect the error. If a right-handed archer hits to the left of the linewith the bow sight fully extended an adjustment to the present inventionmust be adjusted to the left. Then repeat the test. Once the impact ison the same vertical line the present invention is set correctly.

The present invention attaches to an archery bow at the sight mountholes. Once this is done a bow sight is attached to the presentinvention. At this point the present invention will allow the entire bowsight to be pivoted horizontally in finite amounts. No other method willproperly accurately adjust the 4th axis.

A primary advantage of the present invention is that it provides aprecision adjustable mounting bracket for attaching the sight to the bowthat enables an archer to adjust a sight extension to be aligned withthe path of the arrow when shot which is absolutely necessary to assureshooting down the center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other details of my invention will be described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, which are furnished only by way ofillustration and not in limitation of the invention, and in whichdrawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view showing the right side of a bowhandle (riser) with the present invention attached on a right handedbow;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational view showing the left side of the bowhandle (riser) of FIG. 1 with the present invention attached on a righthanded bow;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view showing the right side of a bowhandle (riser) with the present invention attached on a right handed bowand the bow sight attached to the present invention by the bow sightmount;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken through A-A of FIG. 3 showingthe bow sight (including the bow sight level bubble) mounted on thepresent invention of FIGS. 1 and 3 and showing the adjustment screws ofthe invention including the ball bearing contacting one of theadjustment screws and showing (in dashed lines) the center line of thebow handle (riser) and the path of the shot arrow;

FIG. 5A is a partial sectional view taken through A-A of FIG. 5B showingan alternative embodiment of the invention with the bow sight precisionangle adjustment mounting bracket of the invention built into a rearwardend of the bow sight;

FIG. 5B is a partial elevational view of the alternative embodiment ofthe invention of FIG. 5A showing the adjusting screws;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bow sight mounted on the presentinvention of FIG. 1 showing the four axes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-6, an adjustable bow sight attachment device 30 and 30Acomprises a pivotable mounting bracket for attaching a bow sight to abow riser to allow incremental pivoting of the bow sight relative to theriser to enable precise alignment of the bow sight to be parallel to theactual flight path of the arrow. The preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-4and 6 comprises a separate two piece adjustable mounting bracket whichattaches to the archery bow riser and to the bow sight.

In FIGS. 1-4 and 6, a compound plate pivot base comprises a verticalplate 31 of the preferred embodiment of the invention which attaches toa riser 1 of an archery bow. The vertical plate 31 has a first pair ofvertically spaced horizontal openings 2 therethrough arranged to match aset of openings in the riser of the bow where a bow sight is normallyattachable. A second pair of mating vertically spaced horizontalopenings 3, shown in FIG. 1, allow for mounting the invention furtherback toward the archer if desired.

A second plate 36 of the compound plate pivot base, shown in FIGS. 2, 4and 6 is offset from the first plate by an interconnecting offsetsegment 33 extending perpendicularly from a forward vertical edge of thefirst plate 31 to a rearward vertical edge of the second plate 36. Thesecond plate 36 has a pair of horizontal threaded openings 10therethrough, and the offset segment 33 has a vertical cylindricalopening therethrough to receive a pivot pin 35, as shown in FIG. 4.

A pivot connector plate 32 is pivotally attached to the compound platepivot base by a pivot pin 35 through the vertical cylindrical pivot pinopening forming a vertical pivot joint as the primary component of theoffset segment 33. The pivot connector plate 32 comprises a top and abottom spaced tab 34 each having a pivot pin receiving openingtherethrough to receive the pivot pin 35 therein. The pivot connectorplate 32 is attached to a rearward end of a bow sight assembly to thebow sight mount 11. In FIG. 4, a ball bearing 18 is rotatably positionedon an inside face of the pivot connector plate 32 opposite one of thepair of threaded horizontal openings 10 through the second plate.

A means for pivoting the pivot connector plate 32 and the attached bowsight assembly in its entirety around the vertical pivot joint in smallincrements comprises a first threaded shaft extending from one of thetwo threaded openings 10 in the second plate 36 to the ball bearing 18rotatably attached within an opening in the pivot connector plate 32.The first threaded shaft having threads very closely spaced to allowsmall incremental changes in the horizontal angle with partial turns ofthe first threaded shaft to adjust the horizontal angle between thecenter line 19 of the bow handle and the path 20 of the shot arrow. Asecond threaded shaft extends from a second larger one of the threadedopenings 10 in the second plate 36 to a threaded opening in the pivotconnector plate 32 to lock the horizontal angle set by the firstthreaded shaft.

In an alternate embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B, a vertical plate 31A ofthe invention attaches to a riser 1 of an archery bow. The verticalplate 31 has a first pair of vertically spaced horizontal openingstherethrough arranged to match a set of openings in the riser of the bowwhere a bow sight is normally attachable.

A vertical pivot joint 33A connects to the vertical plate 31A andconnects directly to the bow sight mount 11 of the bow sight assembly,as shown in FIG. 5A.

A similar means is used in this embodiment for pivoting the bow sightassembly around the vertical pivot joint in small increments to changethe horizontal angle between the bow sight assembly and the verticalplate and the riser of the bow to adjust the horizontal angle in smallincrements in conjunction with testing the trajectory of arrows shotfrom the bow after each incremental adjustment for improving theaccuracy of the arrow trajectory to correct for side to side deviationof the actual path of an arrow shot from the bow from the intended pathof the arrow by using the bow sight, the side to side deviation causedby the actual release and dynamic movement of a bow string to launch anarrow.

The means for pivoting the bow sight assembly around the vertical pivotjoint in small increments comprises a first threaded shaft extendingfrom a smaller one of the threaded openings 10 in the bow sight mount 11to a ball bearing 18 rotatably attached within an opening in thevertical plate 31A. The first threaded shaft has threads very closelyspaced to allow small incremental changes in the horizontal angle withpartial turns of the first threaded shaft. A second threaded shaftextends from the larger of the two threaded openings 10 in the bow sightmount 11 to a threaded opening in the vertical plate 31A, the secondthreaded shaft locking the horizontal angle set by the first threadedshaft.

The present invention is preferably fabricated of machined aluminum withsteel adjustment screws.

In use, for bow sights that do not have a 3rd axis adjustment which aremachined square and so the 3rd axis is probably close to perfect, thebow sight is removed, the present invention attached to the bow in placeof the bow sight and the sight attached to the present invention. Thenthe 3rd and 4th axis to the arrow path are adjusted by shooting the bow.The windage is set at 20 yards on a flat range. Then find on a steep upor down hill target a group of arrows is shot at a target. If that groupis not dead center, the 4th axis needs adjustment. When aiming downhill, move the front of the sight a very small amount away from thecenter of the group and towards center of the target. Re-set The windagere-set and another group shot first on the flat 20 and then the steepdownhill.

It is understood that the preceding description is given merely by wayof illustration and not in limitation of the invention and that variousmodifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as claimed.

1. An adjustable archery bow sight attachment device comprising: avertical plate attached to a riser of an archery bow, the vertical platehaving openings therethrough arranged to match a set of openings in theriser of the archery bow where a bow sight is attachable; a verticalpivot joint connected to the vertical plate and connected to an archerybow sight assembly; a means for pivoting the archery bow sight assemblyin its entirety around the vertical pivot joint in small increments tochange the horizontal angle between the archery bow sight assembly andthe vertical plate and the riser of the archery bow to adjust thehorizontal angle in small increments in conjunction with testing thetrajectory of arrows shot from the archery bow after each incrementaladjustment for improving the accuracy of the arrow trajectory to correctfor side to side deviation of the actual path of an arrow shot from thearchery bow from the intended path of the arrow by using the archery bowsight, the side to side deviation caused by the actual release anddynamic movement of an archery bow string to launch an arrow.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the means for pivoting the archery bow sightassembly around the vertical pivot joint in small increments comprises afirst threaded shaft extending from a threaded opening in the archerybow sight assembly to a ball bearing rotatably attached within anopening in the vertical plate, the first threaded shaft having threadsspaced to allow small incremental changes in the horizontal angle withpartial turns of the first threaded shaft, and a second threaded shaftextending from a threaded opening in the archery bow sight assembly to athreaded opening in the vertical plate, the second threaded shaftlocking the horizontal angle set by the first threaded shaft.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1 further comprising a pivot connector plate attached tothe pivot pin and attached to an archery bow sight connector.
 4. Thedevice of claim 1 wherein the vertical plate and the vertical pivotpoint are built into a back end of the archery bow sight assembly wherethe bow sight assembly attaches to the archery bow.
 5. An adjustablearchery bow sight attachment device comprising: a compound plate pivotbase comprising a vertical first plate attached to a riser of an archerybow, the first plate having openings therethrough arranged to match aset of openings in the riser of the archery bow where an archery bowsight is normally attachable by threaded fasteners, a second verticalplate rigidly attached to the first vertical plate, the second plateoffset from the first plate by an interconnecting offset segmentextending perpendicularly from a forward vertical edge of the firstplate to a rearward vertical edge of the second plate, the second platehaving a pair of horizontal threaded openings therethrough, and theoffset segment having a vertical cylindrical opening therethrough; apivot connector plate pivotally attached to the compound plate hingebase by a pivot pin through the vertical cylindrical pivot pin openingforming a vertical pivot joint, the pivot connector plate comprising atop spaced tab and a bottom spaced tab each having a pivot pin receivingopening therethrough to receive the pivot pin therein, the pivotconnector plate attached to a rearward end of an archery bow sightassembly, and a ball bearing rotatably positioned on an inside face ofthe pivot connector plate opposite one of the pair of threadedhorizontal openings through the second plate; and a means for pivotingthe pivot connector plate and the attached archery bow sight assemblyaround the vertical pivot joint in small increments comprises a firstthreaded shaft extending from one of the two threaded openings in thesecond plate to the ball bearing rotatably attached within an opening inthe pivot connector plate, the first threaded shaft having threadsspaced to allow small incremental changes in the horizontal angle withpartial turns of the first threaded shaft, and a second threaded shaftextending from a second of the threaded openings in the second plate toa threaded opening in the pivot connector plate to lock the horizontalangle set by the first threaded shaft.